Air-cleaning device



Oct. 7

J. c. ZEHFUS AIR CLEANING DEVICE Filed Sent. 18 1922' parti travelingscreen r Patent @ct. 7, 392%.

To all wlzom it may concem:

it known that l, Jomv C. s, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Air-Cleaning Devices, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to air cleaning apparatus intend for use either to reclaim dust particles of one kind or another carried in suspension in the air, or to reclaim the air purified of particles of dust,dirt,' or other impurities. I

The main objects of this invention are to rovide an air cleaning device of this king having an improved construction and arrangement of screens for separating the es of dust, etc., from the air; to provide improved means for removing from the screens such particles of dust as collect thereon and do not drop therefrom; to provide improved means for an air-tight juncture between the mo screen and the adjacent walls of the casing; to provide improved means for causing a substantially even distribution of the dust-laden air to the several screens of a poly onal-shaped air cleaning device of this kin to provide improved power means for moving the dust screens; and to provide a device of this kind which is comparatively sim 1e and inexpensive in construction, and e ective and economical in operation.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawin which- I d h igure 1 is a part pan an part- 01'1- zontal sectional viewof a rectangularshaped air cleaning device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. '2 is a part side and part sectional elevation of the same.

3 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the means by which the lateral "it; of the screen are causedto form a tially air-tight juncture with the adjacent casing wall.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectlonal detail of one of the screens showing the construction thereof, and the provision of guideways on the casing walls for the lateral edges of the screen.

n Anair cleaning device embodying this invention involves the use of an endless u-w across the path of the dust-laden air out, and nozzles for an airsuction a: 51m 1 transversely of the so so as to remove the ddsfi particles collected thereon. The ends of the rollers over which the screen travels are shaped to force the lateral Mir 'of the screen into substantially air-tiht contact with the ad'acent casing walls, and the walls are provi ed with suitable guideways coacting with the lateral edges of said screen intermediate the rollers, to further insure a substantially air-tight contact be-' in suspension.

The specific ent shown in the drawings is that of an air cleaning device intended to reclaim dust particles carried in suspension in a dust-laden air current. This specificembodiment comprises a cas- 1, the top of 2 l"l an inlet 2 for dust-laden air, an outlet 3 or dust, and a plurality of air outlets 4 arra%ed in the sides of the e casing 1 is of suitable sheet metal construction and as herein shown is of rectangular cross section. The top 5 thereof is shown to be flat, and the bottom 6 is hopper-shaped, whereby dust falling to the bottom-is directed to the dust outlet 3, from whence it is conveyed to suitable receptacles by a spiral conveyer mechanism 7. The vertical side walls of the are in the form of sheet metal les 8 suitably arranged at the corners o the top and bottom so that one part of the angle piece forms the vertical side wall for one air out-- let 4, and the other part forms the verticalside wall for the air outlet 4 at the adjacent side of the casing.

Within the casin 1 is a vertically arranged partition 9 o spiral formation, open at the top and bottom. The dust-laden air entering the inlet 2 is conveyed from said inlet and directed against the inner surface of said partition by means of a conduit 10. This spiral partition serves to difiuse the dust -laden air current so that its movement toward the several outlets is practically equalized, thus insuring a substantially even distribution of t e dust-laden air to several screens.

Endless screens 11 of fabric construction are arranged to move in belt-like fashion across each of the air outlets d, and have the dust collecting thereon removed therefrom by means of air suction nozzles 12.

The fabric used for these belts is preferably a fine weave cloth with a nap on one side. The lateral edges thereof are secured between the edges of a strip of tape 13 (Fig. 44) secured around cables or cords 14:. These belt-shaped screens move around a single roller 15 arranged at one side of each ofthe air outlets 4E, and a air of rollers 16 and 17 parallelly arrange at the opposite sides of the openings in spaced relation. .An idler 18 is suspended in the screens between the rollers 16 and 17 by which said screens are kept taut. The ends of the rollers 15, 16, and 17 are beveled as shown at 18 (Fig. 3) so as to coact with the cables 14: and force the lateral edges of the screens into contact With the adjacent walls of the casing. lBetween the rollers 15 and 16 and 17 strips 19 and 20 are secured to the side walls of the casing so as to provide guideways 21 adapted to receive the tape-covered cables 14, and thus coact with the bevel-ended rollers in providing a substantially air-tight juncture of the casing with the lateral edges of the screens 11.

The suction nozzles 12 are of the usual construction provided with air suction cleaning systems. ()ne of these nozzles is arranged transversely of each of the screens 11 ad acent the roller 15 to bear against the inner face of the inside lap of the screen Another nozzle 12 is arranged transversely of each of the screens 11 adjacent the roller 16 to bear against the inside surface of the outside lap. Suitable connections lead from the respective nozzles 12 so that the dust collected from the screens is conveyed to a suitable place to be discharged into the desired receptacles.

The power means herein shown for m0v-.

ing the screens 11 comprises a motor in the form of an air wheel 22 mounted on the top of the casing in a conduit 23 leading to the air inlet 2. A worm and gear 24 connects this air wheel with a shaft 25 (see Fig. 1), which in turn is connected by another worm and gear 26 to one of the lower rollers 15, which in turn is connected by pairs of bevel gears 27 28 and 29, to the other rollers 15.

Although in the specific embodiment herein shown an air wheel 22 is used, it will, of course, be understood that any other motor may be substituted and similarly connected to drive the belts 11.

The operation of the device herein shown is substantially as follows: The dust-laden air under pressure is driven in through the conduit 23, so that it passes through the inlet 2, conduit 1t), and into the interior f the casingli. As the air enters the int of thecasing the pressure is mater decreased so that considerable of the case carried in suspension will immediately settle to the bottom and be directed out through the dust outlet 8. Air will pass out through the outlets 1, and in so doing any fine par?- ticles of dust will be collected on the screens 11, on the inner face of the inner lap,

on the inner face of the outer lap. As these screens travel in belt-like fashion the dust collected thereon is removed by the suction nozzles 12, and is conveyed to suitable receptacles. I

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described it will be understood that numerthe top thereof and an outlet for dust in the bottom thereof and outlets for cleansed air on each of the sides thereof connicating directly with the atmosphere, a fabric screen arranged across each of said air outlets, means coacting with said screens for keeping the meshes thereof open, and an axially arranged open-ended spiralshaped deflector in said casing connected at its periphery with said inlet and adapted to diffuse the incoming dust-laden air current.

2. An air cleaning device comprising a casing providing a path for a dust-laden air current, an endless fabric screen ar ranged to travel in belt-like fashion across said path, flexible cables secured to the lateral edges of said screen, and rollers supporting said screen and having the ends thereof beveled so as to coact with said cables and urge the lateral edges of said screen against the adjacent walls of the casing.

3. An air cleaning device comprising a casing providing a path for a dust-laden air current, an. endless fabric screen arrangedto travel in belt-like fashion across said path, flexible cables secured to the lat eral edges of said screen, rollers supporting said screen and having the ends thereof beveled so as to coact with said cables and urge the lateral edges of said screen against the adjacent walls of the casing, and guideways formed on said adjacentcasing walls between said rollers and adapted to coact with said beveled "roller ends to slidably receive said cables so as to provide a substantially air-tight contact of said lateral belt-edges with said casing walls.

till

lllti An air cleaning device comprising a polygonal shaped casing vertically arranged and having an inlet for dust-laden air in the top thereof and an outlet. for dust in the bottom thereof and outlets for cleansed air on each of the sides thereof communicating directly with the atmosphere, rollers arranged at the opposite sides of each of said air outlets, a screen in the form of an endless belt arranged to travel around said rollers across each of said outlets, and an air Wheel arranged on said casing in the path of air entering said air inlet, and gearing connecting said air Wheel With certain of said rollers.

Signed at Chicago this 13th day of Sept.

JOHN C. ZEHFUS. 

